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Will Smith Won't Let Kardashian-Type Fame Capture Jaden

30 May 2013

Will Smith's son Jaden may be hanging with the youngest member of the Kardashian clan, Kylie Jenner, but that doesn't mean that the two famous families share the same feelings about fame.

In an interview with New York Magazine for their upcoming film "After Earth," the father and son revealed that they're more interested in what sort of contributions they can make via their fame than in simply maintaining that fame at any cost. "For our family, the entire structure of our life... the entire purpose is for everyone to be able to create in a way that makes them happy," Will Smith said. "Fame is almost an inconsequential by-product of what we're really trying to accomplish."

Jaden, who was spotted recently in public with Jenner, admitted he enjoys the spotlight. "I think it's fun, except when people make up stuff about you," he said. "Then it's not so much fun. But besides that, I enjoy it."

But when asked if he sees parallels in the way the Smith and Kardashian families view their time in the spotlight, Will cut in to suggest he wasn't yet prepared to consider the ramifications of his position in the public eye. "You know, he's never had to, to deal with those kinds of questions," Will said.

"We are trying to put great things into the world, we're trying to have fun, and we're trying to become the greatest versions of ourselves in the process of doing things we love," he explained. "So the idea of fame or exploitation or orchestrating the media is sometimes even less than desirable for us."

Moreover, the former Fresh Prince insisted that he never encouraged his children to pursue careers as entertainers. "It may seem like we have pushed our kids into the business, but that is absolutely insane," he said. "I would never, ever, push somebody to have their face on a poster that's going be everywhere in the world. He is making a choice from the informed."

That said, Smith suggested he's happier that his children are following in the footsteps of him and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, albeit primarily because he has a wealth of experience and access that he can use to support them. "It's less scary to me than if he wanted to be a dentist in that I couldn't help with what he'd chosen," Will admitted. "I have relationships with some of the biggest filmmakers and actors and producers on Earth. So I can be a huge help."